Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-01
CATARRH.

THE TERM CATARRH is APPLIED TO A
i peculiar disorder of the nostrils and ad-
jacent parts, which prevails to an alarming
extent, and is productive of very serious
consequences.
The most prominent and characteristic
feature is morbid discharge from the head,
varying in its nature at different times.
In some there Is an almost constant flow
of clear, acrid fluid, but oftener an offensive,
purulent or muco.purulent, greenish-yellOw
matter is .secreted, which accumulates in
the nostrils or drops into the throat, neces-
| stating its frequent removal by blowing the
| nose or expectOration, and often by both
processes. sometimes patients feel as
though their head was In state of rotten
| ness, SO great is the amount of matter dis
charged and so fetid is its odor. The pa
tient is greatly annoyed by the constant
dropping into the throat of the morbid
position naturally favors the flow downward
his rest is frequently disturbed from this
cause. Many sufferers are obliged to lie Nth
the head very much elevated in order to
sleep with some degree OF comfort
In others tough, viseid and offensive
phlegm collects behind and above the soft
palate, In the passage between the throat and
head, adhering to the parts with gluish tenac-
1ty. Its lodgment embarrasses respiration
and creates sensation of irritation and un-
easiness in the affected locality, which gives
rise to constant and almost irresistible de-
sire to relieve that discomfort by drawing
the mouth. This practice, p0pularly known
as Hawking" is Characteristic of catarrh,
and proves as EN- barrassing to the one af-
fected as it is disagreeable to those around
him.
Again, the offensive matter hardens and
deposits itself on the memb brane in the shape
of dry, hard cOncretions, which are dis
charged by way of the nostrils or throat in
Jumps or fragments of deep green tint. In
some cases these incrustations accumulate
to such an extent as to form a regular plug
IN the nose, which obstructs breathing and
| these incrustations adhere to the point of
| attachment that their removal usually re-
quires the most violent efforts; not unfre-
quently they have to be torn from the men,
brane. Occasionally a solid cast of notable
| size is expelled, on which there are gems rally
traces of blood, but in some cases the cast
presents tubular appearance, being of exact
| shape of the nasal cavity. This condition is
indicative of liberation, which, in time,
| may destroy the bony structure of the nose
| and produce subsequent fiattening of that
organ.
Cases are occasionally met with in which
a thick, viscid,. Shiny secretion coats the
| membrane of the nasal cavities and then
putrefies, giving rise to a stencil which is
really overpowering, and sufficiently fetid
TO poison the atmosphere of whole room;
| and there are others in which all the secre-
tlons OF the membrane are suspended, caus-
| ing an unpleasant feeling of dryness, heat
| and feverishness in the head and nose-a
condition popularity known as DRY
The disease speedily extends to the air
| cavities OF the bones of the forehead and
face, giving rise to distr essing sensation of
| heayy weight or compression over the fore
head, especially in the region above and be-
tween the eyes, and to a feeling OF fulness,
heat, irritation, sore ness or pal in the nos
trils near the root of the nose, as well as in
hind the soft palate. Sometimes there is
pain Obstinately fixed in some particular
part as in the temple, on the top of the
head, at the back of the neck, or behind the
itself in the face of SO severe character
that it is frequently mistaken for neuralgia.
The breath is always tainted, and at times
assumes an exceeding. fetid and sickening
odor. In some cases it becomes so revolt
1ngly offensive as to render the sufferer an
| object OF disgust to himself as well as to
others.
The nasal membrane is thickened and
contested, causing the nose to be stopped up,
| sometimes on one side, sometimes ON the
other, and often ON both, giving rise to a
disagreeable, stuffy sensation in the head,
and occasloning violent and prolonged
The voice is weak, lndistinct and husky.
or OF nasal character, displaying sort of
| smiling quality. Oftentimes there is con-
tinuous hOarseness and discordance. There
is also sense of irritation in the part,
and frequent attempts to clear the throat of
phlegm, producing the sound "hem," more
or less forc1bly. In some cases patients
complain of an uncomfortable feeling of
fullness, or a choky sensation in the throat,
| and in others of distressing and almost
constant dryness, for the temporary relief of
which they have to swallow frequently.
nauseous taste in the mouth or throat.
The stomach generally suffers more or less
and becomes weak and irritable: the appe-
tite is capricious and nearly always bad in
the morning. The patient is languid, unable
to perform mental or physical labor with
the usual facility, is nervous, depressed in
spirits, at times fearful, tfmid, agitated and
inclined to drowsiness and sleep, the mem.
Ory weakened and permanent impairment
| seriously threatened.
The mucous membrane soon becomes
morbidly sensitive to unfavorable influ-
comes affected from the slightest causes, SO
that at last breath of wind upon the lining
OF the nose or throat becomes productive Of
| cold, and gives rise to serious disturbances
| is subject to frequent and repeated colds,
each attack aggravating the disease by Civ
| ing 1t new impulse and involving larger
extent OF surface than its Predecessor. In
gan to organ, invading the throat, larnyx,
| trachea and bronchial tubes, until, en-
croaching further and further, 1t reaches
but a slight impulse is required to send it to
affect @ other orssns inSe bod body osp especiSiy; diSfs;
those containing mucous membrane, such
| as the stomach, bowels, kidneys, etc.
| By the employment Of proper inhalations
in the form of medicated vapor mot steam
or spray) we are able to produce immediate
and direct action upon the diseased surface
will find its way into the most remote and
intricate cavities, where it Is utterly impOs-
sible to make fluid applications. BY these
means every case can be cured,
Persons desiring treatment BY this system
of practice can use the remedy at home az
well as at our Office, and which will cause
no Inconvenience or hindrance to business
whatever.
have seen so many of these cases cured
that do not consider any case hopeless un-
less the disease has advanced to the chest
and that both lungs are seriously involved.
Even then the inhalations aid us in dis.
solving the mucus and in contracting and
healing the cavities, which nothing else can
do with the same success. The yery hast
references from those already cured.